Performances by Mariachi Juvenil Halcon from Zapata Middle School, Mariachi Cotuleño from Cotulla High School and the University of Texas Pan Am in Edinburg will take place. Texas State University’s Celeste Curiel, Victoria Acosta and tejano music recording artist Ricardo Castillon will join them on stage. Mariachi Vargas will close the show with a spectacular performance showcasing songs from their latest recordings and musical arrangements.

The concert is sponsored by Sames Crow Ford Lincoln Mercury owned by Bob Crow, a long-time supporter of cultural arts and education programs in South Texas. Ms. Eva Maria Campbell Morales will serve as host of the show.

Tickets to see Mariachi Vargas, Ricardo Castillon and the best in the U.S. winners are available through Ticketmaster.

The San Antonio based, five-piece, all-female mariachi group performs under the direction of Lucila Torres at the AT&T Center during the games. The girls carry the spirit of the Spurs by wearing black and white mariachi trajes with the Spurs logo embroidered on their serapes.

The response from the audience has been phenomenal according to members of Mariachi Mujer Internacional. “People stop and take pictures with us prior to the games and they love that we represent the flavor and culture of San Antonio and our #1 Spurs,”says Debra Torres, vocalist and violinist for Mariachi Mujer Internacional de los Spurs and UTSA student. “The crowds go wild during our performances and the cheers are so loud we can hardly hear ourselves playing. It’s an amazing feeling standing in the center of the court when this happens,” she says.

Catch Mariachi Mujer Internacional de los Spurs at the Spurs game March 24 starting at 6 p.m. at the AT&T Center and check out http://www.nba.com/spurs/gamenight/team_mujer_2010.html for more information.

Congratulations to Genesis Codina from Los Angeles who appeared on Univision Network’s Sabado Gigante with Don Francisco on Saturday. Genesis competed in the 15th Annual Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza Vocal Competition in San Antonio and won first place  in the middle school category last November. Felicidades Genesis! Hope to see you back in San Antonio this December.

Check out Genesis on YouTube  at “Genesis Codina en Prestigioso Programa de TV Internacional.”

Check out this video with Mariachi Vargas’ harp player Julio Martinez who is playing “Huapango.” Some people call it “Huapango de Moncayo” composed by Jose Pablo Moncayo. It’s a beautiful rhythm from “La Huasteca” which covers the 3 states of Hidalgo, San Luis Potosi and Veracruz. Julio recorded the video in Jalisco at Hacienda Herradura and Hacienda Mundo Cuervo around fabulous agave plants (the plant used to make tequila). The video incorporates scenery from other parts of Mexico that include Guanajuato, Hidalgo, Tabasco, Morelos, Guerrero, Durango, Sinaloa and Baja California.

Julio plays a white Paraguayan harp in the video that was produced to help promote his new CD “Oldies.”

See Julio in Corpus Christi Feb. 27 with Mariachi Vargas at the American Bank Selena Auditorium!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8rDwHqyqwE

Opening acts include UT Pan AM’s Mariachi Juvenil, Cotulla High School’s Mariachi Cotuleño and Zapata Middle School’s Mariachi Juvenil Halcon. These 3 groups proved themselves as the nation’s best during the 15th Annual Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza group competitions in San Antonio last November.

Joining them on stage will be Texas State University’s Celeste Curiel who was selected by Mariachi Vargas as the Best Mariachi Vocalist in the U.S (see more on Celeste at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8cQ1kj468U).

Concert tickets go on sale Friday, January 15 at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster.com. Tickets can also be purchased at the American Bank Center’s Box Office Monday - Friday from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Do check back on the mariachimusic.com website for continuous updates on concerts set for this year.

Time Warner Cable Digital Subscribers can tune into San Antonio on Demand Channel 988 to see a 30 minute special on the Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza. Here’s a glimpse of what’s to come in Corpus Christi.  Mariachi Vargas - El Cascabel

This year we were fortunate to welcome writer Patricia Greathouse and her photographer husband Chris to San Antonio all the way from Santa Fe, New Mexico. Patricia, who herself is a mariachi, recently wrote the book entitled “Mariachi” which includes many interviews with mariachi legends, awesome pictures of various mariachi groups and singers, and also a fun cookbook section. Once again I thank Patricia and Chris for all the amazing help they gave us.

Be sure to check out all the photos by clicking on  http://www.mariachimusic.com/gallery/index.php?album=photos%2F15th-annual-mariachi-vargas-extravaganza-2009

We wish everyone a very happy holiday and look forward to many great events this upcoming year. Keep coming back to mariachimusic.com to see when Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan will be in your area in 2010!

Beginning December 24, 2009

Featured in the special are 13 of the most talented musicians and vocalist in the world that make up Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan. The internationally renowned and Mexico City based group has performed for 122 years and five generations and lures new fans each year with breathtaking performances of songs like Sabes Una Cosa and Popurri Alla en el Rancho.

The elegant actress and talented Mistress of Ceremonies Eva Maria Campbell Morales serves as host of the 15th Annual Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza TV Special with performances from Nydia Rojas who reunites to sing Hay Unos Ojos with Tejano music singer Ricardo Castillon. Also included are a performance from The University of Texas Pan-American Mariachi Juvenil and from Texas State University student Celeste Curiel who was voted the “Best in the U.S.” mariachi vocalist and makes and outstanding performance of El Triste. This song highlights her operatic voice and passion for mariachi music in a song that embraces the loss of a loved one.

The TV special was filmed during Mariachi Vargas’ live performance at the Municipal Auditorium on Nov. 21. The 15th Annual Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza TV special, which originally aired on KVDF-TV’s Channel 9 on Dec. 19, was produced by TV AZTECA in association with Munoz Public Relations, producers of the 8-day mariachi music festival. The special was filmed and edited by Josue Falcone and Carlos Villarreal and funded in part by Goya, Budweiser, Vlaero, Southwest Airlines and the St. Anthony Hotel.

For replay information, visit www.saod988.com

Filmed on November 21 at San Antonio’s Municipal Auditorium, this special includes performances from Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán, recording artists Nydia Rojas and Ricardo Castillon and award-winning mariachi groups and vocalist.

A performance from  The University of Texas Pan American’s Mariachi Juvenil is included in the special hosted by Mistress of Ceremonies Eva Maria Campbell Morales. Celeste Curiel is featured as the “Best in the U.S” mariachi vocalist during an outstanding performance of El Triste. The song highlights her operatic voice and passion for mariachi music in a song that sings bout the loss of a love one.

Featured artist Nydia Rojas sings Hay Unos Ojos with Tejano singer Ricardo Castillon.

Internationally renowned Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán highlights the 30-minute special with 13 of the most talented musicians and vocalists whose breathtaking performance spotlights songs such as Sabes Una Cosa and Popurri Alla En El Rancho Grande.

Azteca America San Antonio can be found on Direct TV Channel 18, Time Warner Cable Channel 9, Dish Network Channel 31 and Grande Channel 9. The special will also be available on Time Warner Cable’s San Antonio on Demand Channel 988. Visit mariachimusic.com to see photos of the 15th Annual Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza.

Texas State University student Celeste Curiel competed in the 15th Annual Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza with the song El Triste which sings goodbye to a loved one. “The song makes me think of my mother and the sadness she felt after loosing my father two years ago,” says Curiel. “My mother attended a rehearsal this summer when my professor Juanita Ulloa had me sing several songs I was considering for the competition. When I sang El Triste she started to cry. It was at this moment I knew I had the right song for the competition knowing how the song touched my mother,” says Curiel.

Celeste was selected by members of Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan as the “Best Vocalist in the U.S.” Saturday night. She competed against 40 other finalists from throughout the U.S. and was unanimously selected as the overall best winner for her perfect performance.

Celeste was born and raised in San Antonio and graduated from Brackenridge High School in 1999. She recently earned a bachelor’s degree and is now working on a master’s degree in vocal performance from Texas State University. She plans to finish her degree and tour with an opera company while maintaining her love of mariachi music.

“One of my idols is Placido Domingo because he sings opera and mariachi,” says Curiel. I want to sing opera but my first love is definitely mariachi so I will always come back to mariachi music.”

Celeste Curiel’s spectacular performance during the 15^th Annual Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza will air on Azteca America KVDF-TV Channel 31 December 19 at 11 a.m. as part of a 30-minute special on the event.